Collections by Sandee Gertz Umbach and Lori Lamothe demonstrate how poets shape their words and images to communicate what inspires them.
Poets and Poems: John Sibley Williams and “Disinheritance”
“Disinheritance” by John Sibley Williams is a beautiful, moving collection of poems dealing with grief, both real and imagined.
Poets and Poems: Matt Duggan and “Dystopia 38.10”
In “Dystopia 38.10, ” poet Matthew Duggan takes the post-apocalyptic idea of dystopia and vividly applies it to contemporary society.
Forward Prize for Best First Collection: “Wife” by Tiphanie Yanique
“Wife, ” winner of the Forward Prize for best first collection, challenges our notions of what marriage mean, but ends up reaffirming the idea of commitment.
Forward Prize: “Measures of Expatriation” by Vahni Capildeo
Forward Prize winner Vahni Capildeo and her “Measures of Expatriation” challenge our notions of what a poetry collection is and can be.
Poets and Poems: Mohja Kahf and “Hagar Poems”
In “Hagar Poems, ” poet Mohja Kahf tells and retells the biblical story of Hagar, Abraham, and Sarah, weaving threads between ancient and contemporary times.
Poets and Poems: Leon Stokesbury and “You Are Here”
“You Are Here” by Leon Stokesbury combines new poems and previously published poems to provide insight, emotion, and even humor.
Poetic Voices: Stephanie Rogers and Katie Manning
New collections by poets Stephanie Rogers and Katie Manning are infused with a sense of loss, displacement, and a grittiness that fits their subjects.
Jen Karetnick: Pondering the Often Invisible
In two new poetry collections, poet Jen Karetnick asks us to consider the reality behind what is often invisible, be it illness or climate change.
More than a Broken Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen
Songwriter Leonard Cohen is also a poet, and in “Songs and Poems, ” he mixes song lyrics with poetry, suggesting there’s little difference.
Poets and Poems: Tina Barry and “Mall Flower”
In “Mall Flower, ” poet and writer Tina Barry combines poetry and short fiction to tell the story of a life – childhood, youth, and adulthood.
Poetic Voices: Teow Lim Goh and Marjorie Maddox
Teow Lim Goh seeks meaning in an immigration detention center, while Marjorie Maddox seeks spiritual understanding in the the study of literature.
Charles Sorley and the Poetry of World War I
Charles Sorley (1895-1915) was a poet whose “When You See Millions of the Mouthless Dead” was one of the best-known poems of World War I.
Poetic Voices: Kelly Hansen Maher and Heather Derr-Smith
Poets Kelly Hansen Maher and Heather Derr-Smith write about lives as women, one on miscarriages and the other on relationships.
Poetic Voices: Elizabeth Onusko and Athena Kildegaard
Poetry collections by Elizabeth Onusko and Athena Kildegaard show how poetry can diagnose society’s illnesses and problems.
Poetic Voices: Lucia Cherciu and Sarah Nichols
Recent poetry collections by Lucia Cherciu and Sarah Nichols reflect the poetry of exile, but in very different ways – exile from one’s country and voluntary exile and isolation.
Poetic Voices: Relationships – Dinah Dietrich and Diane Lockward
Poetry is often used to describe relationships, as recent collections by Dinah Dietrich and Diane Lockward show.
Poets and Poems: Clive James and “Sentenced to Life”
“Sentenced to Life” by Clive James is not about dealing with death; instead, it is the story of a poet discovering life.
Poets and Poems: Laurie Klein and “Where the Sky Opens”
“Where the Sky Opens” by Laurie Klein shows how poems can help us navigate major life changes.
Poets and Poems: Sarah Howe and “Loop of Jade”
Young poet Sarah Howe has won the prestigious T.S. Eliot Prize for her collection “Loop of Jade.” And a beautiful collection it is.